Car News, Specs and Reviews

Chevrolet Corvair Monza

By 1960, sales of dinosaurs were down, small-car imports were up, and Detroit finally listened to a market screaming for economy compacts. Then along came Chevrolet’s adventurous answer to the Volkswagen Beetle, the pretty, rear-engined Corvair, which sold for half the price of a Ford Thunderbird.

But problems soon arose. GM’s draconian cost-cutting meant that a crucial $15 suspension stabilizing bar was omitted, and early Corvairs handled like pigs. The suspension was redesigned in ’65, but it was too late. Bad news also came in the form of Ralph Nader’s book Unsafe at Any Speed, which lambasted the Corvair. The new Ford Mustang, which had become the hot compact, didn’t help either. By 1969, it was all over for the Corvair. GM’s stab at downsizing had been a disaster.

IMPRESSING THE PRESS

After very few styling changes for the first five years, the new body design for ’65 had a heavy Italian influence with smoothflowing, rounded lines that impressed the automotive press. Car and Driver magazine called it “the best of established foreign and domestic coachwork.”

WHEELS

Wire wheel covers were a pricey $59 option.

MAINLY AUTOMATIC

Despite the public’s interest in economy, 53 percent of all Corvairs had automatic transmission.

SIDE MIRROR

Shatter-resistant side mirror came as standard.

RAGTOP NUMBERS

Only 26,000 convertibles were sold in ’65.

REAR SEAT

The rear seat folded down in the Sport Coupe and Sport Sedan models but not in the convertible.

REAR ENGINED

Corvair buyers had a choice of alloy, aircooled, horizontal sixes. The base unit was a 164cid block with four Rochester carbs developing 140 bhp. The hot turbocharged motors were able to push out a more respectable 180 bhp.

BLOCK FEATURES

All Corvairs had an automatic choke and aluminum cylinder heads.

POWER READING

The 140 badge represented the Corvair’s power output.

INTERIOR

The all-vinyl interior was very European, with bucket seats and telescopic steering column. The restrained steering wheel and deep-set instruments could have come straight out of a BMW. The dials were recessed to reduce glare and deep-twist carpeting added an air of luxury to the cockpit. Options on offer included a windshield-mounted automatic compass and a hand-rubbed walnut steering wheel.

END OF THE LINE

By the end of ’68, sales of the handsome Monza Coupe were down to just 6,800 units, and GM decided to pull the plug in May ’69. Those who had bought a ’69 Corvair were given a certificate worth $150 off any other ’69–’70 Chevrolet.

STORAGE SPACE

Rear-engined format meant that storage space under the hood was massive.

PRODUCTION

1965 model year production peaked at 205,000 units. Ford’s Mustang did half a million in the same year.

FIRST MONZAS

The early Corvair Monzas, with deluxe trim and automatic transmission, were a big hit. In 1961, over 143,000 were sold, which amounted to over half the grand Corvair total.